Perceptions of outcomes of speech therapy among individuals with Parkinson’s disease: Examining a critical area of evidence-based practice

Abstract

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disease that affects 60,000 Americans each year and over 10 million people worldwide. 1 Speech impairments are present in 49-70% of people with PD, often characterized by hypokinetic dysarthria and its symptoms include variable rate, monotonous, soft, and breathy speech, and quiet volume. 2 An overall aim of treatment in PD is to lower the negative impact of the disease on the functioning and quality of life (QoL) of patients in this population. Similar to other treatment approaches for PD, speech therapy for people with PD is aimed to improve their QoL. Some of the past research in speech therapy has focused on measuring QoL in patients with PD subsequent to their speech deficits. While these studies help us to understand the general lifestyle of patients with PD, it does not inform us about their perspectives on speech therapy. Relying on prior QoL studies presents us with a significant limitation to understanding whether speech therapy is considered beneficial for patients with PD. The term “evidence-based practice” (EBP) refers to using the best, research-proven assessment and treatment techniques to deliver the most effective services to patients. 3 EBP is the integration of clinical expertise, external and internal evidence, and client perspective. While there is published information on expert opinions and outcomes for different lines of speech treatment for people with PD, there is very limited information on how clients perceive the value of these treatments as consumers. To address this limitation, the current study aimed to survey patients with PD on their perspectives on speech therapy.